ppl. a. In 4–5 avised.
1. Of persons: Prudent, wary, cautious, circumspect.
In modern use chiefly predicative, as ‘He would be well-advised to give up the idea.’
α. c. 1386. Chaucer, Melib., ¶ 2514. A man þat is wel auysed, he drediþ his lest enemy.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 141. Hooly Awstyn, sad and wel avised, Kneuhe by signes this compleynt was no fable.
a. 1466. Gregory, Chron., in Hist. Coll. Cit. Lond. (Camden), 158. That Parlyment hadde an evylle faryng ende, to shamefully for to be namyd of any welavysyd man.
β. 1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xli. 2. Be ȝe ane luvar, think ȝe nocht ȝe suld Be weill adwysit in ȝour gouerning?
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., I. 15 b. A most valiant & well aduised knight.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., IV. iv. 517. Hath any well-aduised friend proclaym’d Reward to him that brings the Traytor in?
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes (1638), 288. The well aduised and valiant captaine Kanacontes.
absol. 1560. Bible (Genev.), Prov. xiii. 10. With the wel aduised is wisedome. (And so 1611.)
† b. with const. Careful or heedful of or that —.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Miller’s T., 398. Be well auysed on that ilke nyght … That noon of vs ne speke nat a word.
c. 1400. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), xviii. Also þat he be … wele auysed of speche.
c. 1450. Merlin, iii. 45. Quod the kynge, Be well avised that ye knowe it is he. And thei seide, We knowe verely it is he.
1579–80. North, Plutarch, Lycurgus (1595), 57. To another he put forth a question, who was to be well aduised of his aunswer.
† c. In one’s right mind, sane. Obs.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 434. And were you well aduis’d? Ibid. (1590), Com. Err., II. ii. 215. Am I … Sleeping or waking, mad or well aduisde?
2. Of actions, etc.: Based on wise counsel or careful consideration.
a. 1470. Harding, Chron., clxxvi. viii. (1812), 314. The kyng full sad, with wordes well auysed, Thanked them all.
1846. Mrs. A. Marsh, Father Darcy, II. viii. 140. I hope I should not be found wanting either in spirit or perseverance to carry out well-advised plans.
1850. Grote, Greece, II. lxiv. VIII. 203. Construing their studied and well-advised silence into a proof of oblivion.
Hence Well-advisedly adv.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, ix. (1592), 127. He … seemeth to speake discreetely and weladuisedly.
1648–58. Hexham, II. Wel-bedachtelick, Well-advisedly, or Considerately.
